Key Individuals

• William C. (Will) Dudley, President
• Director of Athletics, Janine Hathorn
• Terlynn Olds, Associate Director of Athletics for Operations and Facilities 
• Erin Ness, Senior Woman Administrator
• Gene McCabe, Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance
• Mike Dager, Assistant Director of Athletics for Physical Education
• Professor Matt Tuchler, Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR)
• Lauren Kozak, Director of Title IX and Disability Resources 
• Jodi Williams, Assistant Title IX Coordinator

Student-Athlete Rules and Policies

Student-Athlete Eligibility
Minimum Academic Requirements for NCAA Eligibility
A student must be full-time and making normal progress toward a degree in order to be eligible for NCAA competition. No student shall represent this University in any branch of intercollegiate athletics who is not regularly matriculated, taking a minimum of 12 credits of class work during the fall and winter terms or 3 or 4 credits during the spring term in the College or the Williams School, or taking a minimum of 12 semester hours of class work in the School of Law.

• Spring Option. Please note that students exercising spring option are not permitted to participate in any way in intercollegiate athletics as they are not enrolled students. If you are a varsity athlete planning on exercising spring option, please discuss your plans with your coach.
• Exception: Seniors who are taking advantage of the Spring Option and have completed all requirements for graduation (as of the completion of Winter Term), are permitted to participate in intercollegiate athletics.

The Registrar's office will be monitoring student-athletes' course loads to ensure they do not fall below these requirements or drop courses that will take them below the requirements. Notification by the Registrar's office will be cause to check the total status and declare a student ineligible if he or she does not meet the minimum requirements.

No student shall be a member of more than one intercollegiate athletic organization in the same season except with the express approval of the Director.

W&L waivers for less than full-time athletic participation
It is the faculty's policy that all degree-seeking students must normally carry a full-time load. In some cases, when student-athletes have already been granted an approved course load of fewer than 12 credits in a fall or winter term, official NCAA waivers may be granted to student-athletes to allow participation in intercollegiate athletics. (Students enrolled in spring term must be enrolled for a single, four-credit course; athletes must be enrolled in order to compete in the spring term.) In order to remain athletically eligible, student-athletes in this situation must (1) complete the documents that the NCAA requires for this type of waiver, and (2) present documentation to the Director of Athletics, and, if necessary, to the Americans with Disabilities Act representative in the Office of the Dean of the College. Depending upon the nature of the waiver request, the Director of Athletics or her designee may refer the student-athlete to the Director of Student Health and Counseling. Approval and renewal of waivers will be approved on a case-by-case basis by the Athletic Director or designee. Upon approval of a waiver at W&L, the student-athlete will work with the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance to complete the NCAA waiver process. 

Approved by the Faculty EC on May 16, 2011

Class Absence Policy and Procedure
Intercollegiate athletic competition provides students with opportunities for character development and learning that are not necessarily available in the classroom context.  This is particularly true at the Division III level where athletics remain unsullied by the pressures imposed by scholarships, high exposure, and the need to promote revenue-generating events.  As a consequence, Washington and Lee University encourages students to take maximum advantage of opportunities at the University to engage in intercollegiate athletics.  This is part of their education.  At the same time the University and the Department of Physical Education and Athletics recognize that the primary goal of a university education is intellectual development.  As a consequence, student-athletes are fully expected to devote themselves to their courses and to their intellectual development in no less a fashion than they would were they not engaged in intercollegiate competition.

To accommodate these twin goals of intellectual development and athletic participation, the Department of Physical Education and Athletics makes every effort to schedule "the time, place, and duration of team practices and contests" in a manner that avoids conflicts with students' class schedules (Mission Statement of the Department of Physical Education and Athletics).  With respect to practices and team meetings, the faculty and coaching staff understand that class attendance takes precedence over participation in athletics.  Furthermore, full class participation in courses that may cause students to miss occasional practices will not, in itself, prejudice the coaches in the selection of team participants.

On occasion, University-sanctioned athletic events may unavoidably conflict with academic schedules.  In those situations, student-athletes are not automatically entitled to exemptions from class attendance.  However, given the Athletic Department's commitment to the academic mission of the University, professors are encouraged to accommodate those conflicts whenever doing so will not damage the individual student-athlete's academic performance.  In this regard, students who participate in intercollegiate athletics should review their calendars to see which athletic contests, if any, conflict with their academic schedules.  Each student is responsible for discussing any scheduling conflict with his or her professors at the beginning of the term or as soon as possible after the student learns of the conflict.  The ultimate goal is a reasonable accommodation of academic and athletic pursuits.

Faculty Guidelines for Scheduling Evening Tests
With recent growth in the number of evening tests that are being scheduled outside of class hours during the term in the College and Williams School, concerns have been raised regarding the impact of these tests on various aspects of academic and student life. At issue is the fact that students set aside certain hours during the day for classes, while also setting aside hours during the evenings for a variety of curricular and co-curricular activities. To that end, this document provides some guidelines that faculty are asked to follow when they schedule evening tests at a specific time. This does not apply to take-home tests that faculty assign for completion at a time of the students choosing, but rather to tests that are scheduled for all to complete at a particular evening examination time block.

• Include test dates and times in the syllabus and clearly announce these at the beginning of the course to allow students as much time as possible to reschedule other conflicting activities.
• Schedule an alternate time period for students with previous unavoidable commitments to co-curricular activities which conflict with your test (e.g., required attendance at concerts, plays, films, and speakers, varsity athletics, jobs) or who may have more than one test scheduled on a given evening. It is hoped that faculty will continue to show flexibility for those students who have an unavoidable commitment and who notify you of that commitment well in advance of the scheduled date.
• To minimize interference with various scheduled activities such as fine-arts rehearsals, work-study obligations, varsity athletics games and practice times, and meal times in both the Marketplace and Greek houses, evening tests should not begin earlier than 7:00 pm. This allows a student participating in most scheduled activities to complete those activities and get dinner before the test begins.

Team and Student-Athlete Travel
Student-athletes are expected to travel with their respective teams to and from all competition and practice sites. Under extenuating circumstances, student-athletes with prior permission from the Head Coach of their team and the Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance (Athleticscompliance@wlu.edu), a completed student-athlete form (available here), and a completed parent/legal guardian form (available here)may use alternate transportation to and/or from a competition or practice site. The required forms must be received by the Head Coach and Associate Director of Athletics (or designee) at least 24 hours prior to the date of competition or practice.

As representatives of Washington and Lee University, all coaches, players, managers, and trainers are expected to conduct themselves in the best tradition of Washington and Lee University.  The highest degree of decorum under all circumstances will be exhibited.  Coaches must ensure that team conduct will reflect favorably upon the University. The possession or consumption of alcohol is not permitted on trips from the time of departure until the team returns to campus and is dismissed.

Social Networking Websites
The Athletics Department understands the popularity and usefulness of social networking sites and supports their use.  Student-athletes should remember that they are representatives of Washington and Lee and are in the public eye more than other students on campus. Please keep the following in mind as you participate on social networking websites:

• Before participating in any online community, understand that anything posted online is available to anyone in the world. Any text or photo placed online becomes the property of the site and is completely out of your control the moment it is placed online - even if you limit access to your site.
• You should not post any information, photos or other items online that could embarrass you, your family, your team, the athletics department, or Washington and Lee. This includes information that may be posted by others on your page.
• Student-athletes could face discipline and even dismissal for violations of team, department, college and/or NCAA policies.

Gambling Activities
Participation in gambling or bribery, even in the most minor fashion, will jeopardize your athletic career. Sports wagering includes placing, accepting or soliciting a wager (on a staff member's or student-athlete's own behalf or on the behalf of others) of any type with any individual or organization on any intercollegiate, amateur or professional team or contest.  Examples of sports wagering include, but are not limited to, the use of a bookmaker or parlay card; Internet sports wagering; auctions in which bids are placed on teams, individuals or contests; and pools or fantasy leagues in which an entry fee is required and there is an opportunity to win a prize. A wager is any agreement in which an individual or entity agrees to give up an item of value (e.g., cash, shirt, dinner) in exchange for the possibility of gaining another item of value.

Washington and Lee Conduct Policies
The Washington and Lee Department of Athletics is committed to providing a positive participation experience to all student-athletes.  Washington and Lee University policies are applicable to all students at the university, including student-athletes.  The Department of Athletics fully opposes any type of hazing activity and fully supports and promotes the university's policies on alcohol, drugs and hazing.  Additionally, the Washington and Lee Department of Athletics takes all hazing-related incidents very seriously and has the ability to impose additional consequences related to participation in varsity athletics.

The Washington and Lee Department of Athletics recognizes the autonomy of each team to set its own team-specific policies in addition to University policies.  Team policies will be communicated to the student-athletes and each athletics team will have a written team policy on file in the athletic director's office.

Report a Hazing Incident
https://my.wlu.edu/hazing-prevention/reporting

Student Conduct Resources:
http://www.wlu.edu/student-life/policies-and-guidelines/student-conduct

University Policy on Alcohol:
Click Here

Student Handbook (which contains the W&L Hazing policy):
http://www.wlu.edu/document/student-handbook

Washington and Lee Hazing and Retaliation Policy
Hazing is prohibited by Washington and Lee University and the Code of Virginia § 18.2-56. This policy applies to all University students and student organizations.

The Code of Virginia § 18.2-56 defines "Hazing" to mean "to recklessly or intentionally endanger the health or safety of a student or students or to inflict bodily injury on a student or students in connection with or for the purpose of initiation, admission into or affiliation with or as a condition for continued membership in a club, organization, association, fraternity, sorority, or student body regardless of whether the student or students so endangered or injured participated voluntarily in the relevant activity."

Hazing can manifest as but is not limited to: (a) fatigue, physical shock, or injury; (b) destruction or removal of property; (c) consumption of alcohol, drugs, or other substances; or (d) the violation of university policies or local, state, and federal laws. Hazing can occur with or without the participant's consent and may occur on or off university property.

The Code of Virginia § 18.2-56 provides that it shall be unlawful to haze so as to cause bodily injury. Any person found guilty thereof shall be guilty of a class I misdemeanor. Any person receiving bodily injury by hazing or mistreatment shall have a right to sue, civilly, the person or persons guilty thereof, whether adults or infants. More information can be found by reviewing Code of Virginia § 18.2-56.

As of July 1, 2022 "Adam's Law" applies in the Commonwealth of Virginia. What does that mean for you as a W&L student?

The University will facilitate training as required by Adam's law. For example, there will be in-person hazing prevention education for various groups such as all current members, new members, and potential new members of student organizations with a new member process, as well as coaches and advisors of organizations/teams with a new member process.

The University has updated its policy to be compliant with Adam's law concerning immunity from disciplinary action for certain individuals who report an act of hazing.

To comply with Adam's law reporting requirements, the University will report hazing violations and provide a hardcopy notice of the availability of the reports, including a weblink. Our weblink also includes hazing definitions, relevant policies, and information about how to report.
https://my.wlu.edu/hazing-prevention

Hazing Prevention Training Pursuant to Va. Code §23.1-820 and Reporting of Violations Pursuant to Va. Code §23.1-822
The University will provide hazing prevention training to the extent required by Va. Code §23.1-820, and report violations of this policy to the extent required by Va. Code §23.1-822.
 

Washington and Lee Sexual Discrimination and Misconduct Policy

All forms of sexual discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, domestic and dating violence, stalking, and retaliation of any form are an affront to human dignity and fundamentally at odds with the values of Washington and Lee University. The University community has a responsibility to maintain an environment free from all forms of sexual discrimination and misconduct. It is committed to taking all appropriate steps to eliminate prohibited conduct, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects. Further information can be found in the Sexual Discrimination and Misconduct Policy (https://www.wlu.edu/general-counsel/code-of-policies/discrimination-harassment-and-retaliation/sexual-discrimination-and-misconduct-policy).

Information on reporting sexual misconduct, including how to make an anonymous report

https://my.wlu.edu/sexual-misconduct-resources/making-a-report

Questions relating to sexual misconduct should be directed to:
 
Lauren Kozak
Title IX Coordinator and Director of Disability Resources
Washington and Lee University
Elrod Commons 212
Lexington, VA 24450
kozakl@wlu.edu
540-458-4055

NCAA Board of Governors Policy on Campus Sexual Violence

The NCAA Board of Governors has adopted an Association-wide policy addressing campus sexual violence for member institutions.  This policy requires member institutions to have a written policy directing staff to gather certain information from prospective, continuing, and transfer student-athletes. 

In compliance with this policy, all prospective, continuing, and transfer student-athletes must complete a disclosure form annually related to their conduct that resulted in an investigation, discipline through a Title IX proceeding, or in a criminal conviction for sexual, interpersonal, or other acts of violence. A prospective, continuing, or transfer student-athlete's failure to accurately and fully disclose investigatory activity, a disciplinary action, or criminal conviction could result in penalties, including loss of eligibility to participate in athletics as determined by Washington & Lee University.

Athletics department staff involved in recruiting a perspective student-athlete or transfer student-athlete shall collect the disclosure forms and gather other information that reasonably yields information from the prospective or transfer student-athlete's former institution(s) to put University recruiting leadership on notice that the prospect has been under investigation, disciplined through a Title IX proceeding or a criminal conviction for sexual, interpersonal, or other acts of violence.

The terms sexual violence, interpersonal violence, and "other acts of violence," for purposes of the above requirements, have the following meanings:

• Sexual Violence—A term used to include both forcible and non-forcible sex offenses, ranging from sexual battery to rape.
• Interpersonal Violence—Violence that is predominantly caused due to the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator, including dating and domestic violence.
• Other Acts of Violence—Crimes including murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault or any assault that employs the use of a deadly weapon or causes serious bodily injury.

Student Host Guidelines for Prospective Student-Athlete Visit

The student host and visiting prospective student-athlete will meet with the coaching staff to review guidelines and expectations, either on the phone prior to arriving on campus or at the start of each visit.  The host and visiting prospective student-athlete will receive a copy of these guidelines as well as an itinerary.

• As a host, treat the prospective student athletes in the manner that typifies your athletic program.  Give each prospective student-athlete a taste of Washington and Lee's unique environment.  Do your best to represent the athletic department, your program, and W&L positively. 
• Although you cannot be held directly responsible for the behavior of the visiting prospective student-athlete, you should know that your actions do influence how the prospective student-athlete behaves.  You are expected to use good judgment in all situations.
• The student host or any member of a W&L team is not permitted to serve or supply alcohol to a prospective student-athlete during his or her visit.
• Washington and Lee strongly recommends that student visitors to the University remain on campus or within the Lexington city limits and that they refrain from traveling in student-operated vehicles.
• The student host will not coerce, or force any prospective student-athlete to do anything against his or her own will.
• Under no circumstances, unless otherwise approved by your coaching staff, should you be separated from the prospective student-athlete at any time.  This includes evenings prior to W&L athletic events or early practices.  You are responsible for the well being of your prospective student-athlete while he or she is in your care.  The prospective student-athlete is expected to follow your daily schedule.
• You may need to be away from your guest for a period of time. (i.e. class, practice, meeting with a professor, study group or club).  You are required to make the coaching staff aware of these conflicts prior to the visit so that appropriate arrangements can be made.  The host should escort the prospective student-athlete to any exchange, scheduled appointment, or meeting that he or she may have. 
• t is expected that the student host will provide a proper place to sleep and whenever possible, provide appropriate bedding for the prospective student-athlete.  Please inform your coach when you cannot do so.
• Each prospective student-athlete will receive a For-Emergency-Use card containing names and phone numbers of people to assist in case of an emergency.  This card will include the prospective student-athlete's name, student host's name, place of residence and room number, and phone number, campus security number, the head coach's office and home numbers, and the athletic director's name and phone numbers.
• In the event of a serious accident, it is your responsibility to contact security (x8999) and your head coach as soon as possible.
• WASHINGTON & LEE UNIVERSITY CONSENT FORM FOR VISITING PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS AND THEIR HOSTS

Download the visit form here!!

NCAA Banned Drugs

Before consuming any nutritional/dietary supplement product, review the product and its label with your athletics department staff. Dietary supplements are not well regulated and may cause a positive drug test result.  Any product containing a dietary supplement ingredient is taken at your own risk. 

Information on drug testing, eligibility, along with the NCAA list of banned drug classes can be found here.

For authoritative information on NCAA banned substances, medications and nutritional supplements click here: https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2015/6/10/ncaa-banned-substances.aspx

NCAA Summary of Regulations

Download the NCAA Summary of Regulations here!

NCAA Policy on Transgender Student-Athlete Participation 

Washington and Lee University follows NCAA policy in regard to transgender student-athlete participation. See February 6, 2025:  NCAA Participation Policy for Transgender Student-Athletes.